For a program whose arrow has continued to point in the right direction under second-year head football coach Bill O’Brien, Boston College took another step in the right direction over the weekend as it saw nine of their standout players from their 2024 team matriculate to the NFL.
Three players were drafted, and six players were invited to mini camps as undrafted free agents as of Monday evening
Draft Picks:
- Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, selected 44th overall by the Cowboys (Round 2)
- Ozzy Trapilo, OT, selected 56th overall by the Bears (Round 2)
- Drew Kendall, C/OL, selected 168th overall by the Eagles (Round 5)
Undrafted Free Agents:
- Jack Conley, OL, signed with the Patriots
- Kye Robichaux, RB, signed with the Lions
- Cam Horsley, DL, signed with the Titans
- Kam Arnold, LB, signed with the Commanders
- Kamari Morales, TE, received invites from Dolphins and Ravens
- Dino Tomlin, WR, received invite from Buccaneers
Despite an inconsistent product on the football field for the better part of a decade, Boston College has continued to send pro talent to the NFL along the way.
BC is one of 17 schools in the nation - and one of only two in the ACC along with Miami - to have at least two picks in the opening two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. Ezeiruaku’s name being called at No. 44 marked the 11th consecutive year that a Boston College player has heard his name called at the NFL Draft.
With Ezeiruaku and Trapilo, it marked the 21st and 22nd time that an Eagle was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft. The last time BC had two players drafted within the first two rounds of the NFL Draft came in 2009, with defensive tackle B.J. Raji at 9th overall by Green Bay and the late Ron Brace at 40th overall by New England.
Over the last decade, BC has had at least two players drafted on eight occasions. And since the NFL Draft went to a seven-round format in 1994, Boston College has had 21 players picked among the top two rounds.
While Ezeiruaku was originally projected by draft prognosticators to be picked on day one of the draft, his selection at No. 44 by Dallas marked an incredible landing spot for the 2024 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Not only does the 21-year-old join a defense where he’ll be able to make an impact right away, he’ll be doing so while learning under All-World do-it-all linebacker Micah Parsons.
“It's very exciting, and it and it's going to be very exciting to learn from somebody like Micah," Ezeiruaku told the Cowboys’ in-house draft broadcast shortly after being selected. "I think that'll be extremely pivotal and important to my development, and with the coaching staff that's here, I'm just excited to get to work."
Ezeiruaku became the first Eagle to go in the second round since running back AJ Dillon was selected 62nd overall by the Packers in 2020. He also became the highest defensive draft pick for BC since now-Patriots linebacker Harold Landry was selected 41st overall in 2018 by then-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee. Ezeiruaku becomes the first BC Eagle to be drafted by Dallas since offensive tackle James Marten in 2007 (Round 3, No. 67).
In keeping with the tradition of “O-Line U,” Trapilo was the fourth BC offensive lineman in the last six years to hear his name called on draft weekend. Over the last 10 drafts, six Eagles offensive linemen have been drafted. And since the NFL went to a seven-round format in 1994, BC has had 21 O-Linemen drafted.
Trapilo was the highest draft pick for a BC offensive lineman since 2022, when Zion Johnson went in the first round to the Chargers at No. 17 overall. He’s also the first BC player to be drafted by the Chicago Bears since Josh Beekman in 2007 (Round 4, No. 130).
"Coming into a new program, my main goal is to get on the field as soon as possible," Trapilo told the Chicago media shortly after being drafted. "I play hard and play tough, but I also play smart and under control. I don't let emotions get the best of me. I try to stay in the moment at all times and stay focused and disciplined."
Trapilo has local ties, as he grew up in Norwell, MA and attended BC High School in Boston before heading to Chesnut Hill. He’s the son of the late Steve Trapilo, who was an All-American guard at BC in the 1980s before playing five seasons with the New Orleans Saints over six years from 1987 to 1992.
The selection of Trapilo’s fellow lineman in Kendall marked the 227th player in BC history to be drafted. It also marked the first time since 2019 that three Boston College players have been selected in the same draft.
Kendall is also a Norwell, MA native, and attended the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA before heading to BC. Also like Trapilo, he’s the son of a former BC lineman, as his dad Pete went on to have a long career in the NFL playing for the Seahawks, Cardinals, Jets and Washington from 1996 to 2008.
"Drew is a smart, tough, dependable player with tremendous leadership qualities,” O’Brien said in a statement on Saturday. “His teammates unanimously voted him a team captain. Drew was the best center in the ACC. He can run block and he can anchor the interior of the pocket in pass protection. He is a great puller in the run game and in the screen game. He is a bright guy who made all the calls up front on every play. He has a tremendous work ethic to go along with a consistent approach to his daily life. Drew will be a great pro."
With O’Brien bringing in both an impressive recruiting and portal class for 2025, Eagles fans are excited about the prospect of this NFL Draft tradition continuing for years to come. The more players you put in the league, the more talent you will be able to attract to the program.
More talent, in theory, equals more wins.
More wins, in theory, equals more eyeballs
More eyeballs, in theory, equals even more talent coming your way.
The NFL pipeline for BC will continue to be crucial as O’Brien makes his mark on the program.